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A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley

Good morning.

Usually on a Saturday morning I take part in a parkrun at Fountains Abbey, which is near to where I live. My aim is usually to get around the course without stopping, and the welcome tea and cheese scone afterwards in a café is an incentive in helping me on my way. There’s something quite profound by a common purpose in gathering. I always come away feeling buoyed up; ready to face the day ahead.

These days, we don’t gather. Exercise is a solitary activity with a cheery wave exchanged at a careful distance. I make a point however of checking in online with friends from our weekly run. We share stories of our week, and words of encouragement. It’s not the same as face-to-face, but for now it has to be so. Today in the Christian tradition is known as ‘Holy Saturday’. Tomorrow is Easter Day, a day of immense joy– although this year it won’t be celebrated by gathering. Jesus is risen, we will proclaim.

This year, Holy Saturday feels longer than a day. The time in-between feels heavy going, like my legs do when I’m running up a hill (or ‘a little incline’ as I’m frequently told by other runners). I recall the advice a fellow-runner gave me once. He came alongside me as we started up the hill and said ‘small steps now’. I found it worked, and I was grateful for his words. Small steps. I look towards the dawn the hope of Easter joy will be a light to help me take one more step into a new day.

God who set the sun in the sky to provide light and warmth, help me to look to this day with hope and gratitude for small steps along the way.

Amen.